Hebrew's Chapter 4 - Experiencing God's Rest

00:00 - Speaker 1
See, the Word of God is alive. It actually is alive. A beautiful poem an author wrote 100 years ago, pretty words, but it's not God-breathed, it's not inspired. The Word of God is alive. Paul said it actually worketh in us, and that Greek word for worketh is energio it energizes, it produces.

00:24 - Speaker 2
Innate Welcome to the City Light Church podcast. Thanks for joining us today as we look into God's Word and discover the hope and truth that he has for us. If you want to connect with City Light Church, feel free to visit us at citylightnyccom. That's citylightnyccom. Pastor Boyan Jancic and his team believe that the power of the Holy Spirit is already working in our hearts and minds. As you listen to today's teaching, remember that you are deeply loved by God, that you are surrounded by His grace and that he has a real hope and a future for you that he has a real hope and a future for you.

01:10 - Speaker 1
Welcome everybody and those of you joining us online. Welcome to you. It's feeling extra Christmassy in here, isn't it? It's not just the decor, although that helps. Thank you, jesus.

01:23
It's good, as we're in this Advent season, looking forward and anticipating December 25th, it's good for us to just every day remember what we're celebrating the incarnation Carni asada. Carni Meaning flesh. The incarnation is when God became flesh and dwelt among us. If he didn't do that, we'd still be stuck in our sins with God's wrath hanging over us. But God himself came, became flesh and in and with that sinless life that he lived, he went to the cross. And it was the divine exchange he who knew no sin became sin for us, that we who knew only sin would become the righteousness of God in Christ, hallelujah. And as much as we celebrate what Jesus has done, it's good, it's healthy to just remember who you are outside of Jesus. I do that just to refresh myself a little bit. I remind myself of what my portion is outside of Christ. It's not pretty. The wrath of God was on me Because sometimes you say, well, that's a bad person, but they're so nice, right, Even though like in an unsaved group, a group that hasn't accepted Jesus. But they're so nice. You know, before I was saved I was also very, very polite and very, very nice, but in my core I was an enemy of God. That's what the scripture says. My very existence was in opposition to him. All I deserved was wrath and hell. And now, because of Jesus, I deserve God's best. Now, because of Jesus, you deserve. It's your portion, it's your right, it's your heritage. You deserve to receive all that Jesus died for you to have Forgiveness of sins, righteousness, peace with God, prosperity, overflowing abundance in every area of your life Spiritually, physically, soulishly, socially, yes, and even financially. Hallelujah. Well, let me just do a couple of announcements. I love this part. I'm so good at it. Thank you, hallelujah. Well, let me just do a couple of announcements. I love this part. I'm so good at it.

03:51
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04:14
But I you know this used to be easy before. Everybody was trying to capture your information Like we were doing this 20 years ago. Now I can't even buy anything without what's your email address. Just let me buy the thing. What do you need my email address for? Are you hitting on me? I'm married, so now it's harder because everybody's real weary. But you're in a safe place and you can give us your email. We'll only use it once a week, unless there's a snowstorm, in which case we'll let you know about the snow in a second email.

04:54
Are you all ready to worship the Lord with your tithes and offerings? Amen. Before we show all the ways to give, let's just see where we're doing with our end of the year offering. All right, we just started December and we're a little less than halfway there. I just want to say this If you believe that the offering is for you and not for God, you will be of a certain mindset. For you and not for God, you will be of a certain mindset.

05:33
I received the revelation early on that the offering. It's not for the organization, it's not even because God needs it. It's because I need to give it. So I made a decision that if I'm in service or I'm visiting another church, I'm always going to give Always. Because if I just don't give, then I missed out on my opportunity to increase. Why would I do that? I'm not a glutton for punishment. I don't hate myself. I'd like to increase, so I'm going to take advantage of that opportunity to increase.

06:04
So I learned this when I was in my early 20s and sometimes all I'd have is a dollar on me, so I'd give a dollar. Once I gave a piece of gum in a wrapper not chewed Because I refused to let that thing. All I had was a pack of gum. I said God's going to get one stick. I refused to let, and I say that thing passed by. See, kids, once upon a time churches had offering buckets. Before we went into the digital age, you can give with a QR code. It was real awkward. Offering buckets would come down Even more awkward in the Catholic church where they hold it and they're like and they're trying to gauge by your reaction if you're going to give anything, right You're going to. How long do I have to wait here? Are you still digging in that purse? But I just made a decision. The bucket wasn't going to go by without me giving something.

06:51
I'd ask the Lord and I encourage you to get to that place, but that's only if you really believe that well, the 100 plus scriptures all throughout, 66 books of the Bible that say when you give, you actually increase, and that the liberal soul, the giving soul, the generous soul shall be prospered and he that waters shall also be watered himself. That's why I'm inviting you to specifically ask God what he'd have you give towards our end of the year offering so that we can celebrate, come the new year and say, look, we met our goal. Amen. So that's it. Ask the Lord. And then there's a drop-down menu where you can specifically give to the end of the year offering.

07:29
Let's go back to the different ways to give and honor the Lord with your tithe and offering. I make my living by my giving Hallelujah, and I believe in a hundredfold return. A hundredfold return. I don't believe is a hundredfold return. A hundredfold return, I don't believe is a hundred times what you've given, because frankly, then the Lord would be a little bit behind then. But you're, you're promised up to a hundredfold return. And Jesus said some 30, some 60, some 100. So what is a hundredfold return? Well, remember when you used to get a hundred on a test, that was the best possible score you could get right. A hundredfold return is the maximum, the best possible return that you can get. Some get 30, some 60. I want a hundredfold. My faith is out there for a hundredfold. What's the best possible return? Well, giving my own financial status and how much am I actually sacrificing and giving, and where I'm sowing into and have I instantly obeyed the voice of the Holy Spirit and other factors, they come in and I'm trusting God, you're going to get me the best possible return.

08:36
We just now both kids tithed, and Victor's used to it, but it was Vivian's first time. It was a wonderful little thing we went through last night, because she's only five, six, so you should have seen her face when I explained the tithe to her and it's like most people it's I said, look, she got $20. So I'm trying to tell her God gets a tenth two and she went. But then I won't have any money left and I said, well, god will bring you more. And she I bless her heart. She said out loud what most people think but never say out loud. She went cause. I said God will get you more. She went how? I said that is a great question how. And then I shared where there's some stories, how God brought it back to mommy and daddy. So have your faith out there. That's how, but it'll be some way. Trust. I mean, how did you get the first 20? You didn't get a job. It came. So give and trust that God will bring more. Amen.

09:41
Are you all ready for the word this morning? All right, we're in Hebrews, chapter 4. We're going through the entire book of Hebrews and we're saying no to biblical illiteracy. We're saying no to living in a word desert. The word is alive and it brings life. The word cleanses, it strengthens, it edifies, it builds us, and my dream is to have a church of word-strong people filled with the word, who can't be easily deceived, won't go away into false doctrine and know in whom they have believed and know what they believe and why they believe it. So a little bit of context Hebrews is being written to a very discouraged, despondent group of Christians. They're in a very, very bad place, which it's good to study the book of Hebrews, because then you can see God's heart and what the message would be to people who are in a similar predicament. So let's begin chapter four with that in mind. Verse one, therefore.

10:45
He's just continuing right from where he left off in Hebrews, chapter 3, where he was talking about the children of Israel and how God, through many signs and wonders, brought them out of the land of Egypt and promised them a land of rest, a land flowing in milk and honey, canaan land. Promised them a land of rest, a land flowing in milk and honey, canaan land. But only Joshua and Caleb of that whole group of two million plus Jews. They're the only ones who made it in them, and the ones who weren't born, who were born in the wilderness, but the original ones who came out of Egypt. It says they could not make it in because of unbelief, an evil heart of unbelief. Something happened to them where they got bitter. Really, they just went the way of most people. They could see mighty signs and wonders happening before them, god comes through, but then, six months later, they begin to whine, they begin to complain and the Bible says an evil heart of unbelief was found within them and they never entered into God's rest. Therefore, since the promise remains of entering his rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to come short of it Now.

11:58
It's really important to understand that in the Old Testament everything was physical, that in the Old Testament everything was physical. In the New Testament, a lot of those physical things are spiritual, like in the Old Testament says God is gonna slay your enemies before your face, dash them into pieces. It's not talking about Karen, your coworker, who can't keep her mouth quiet. It's not talking about another human being. And you're like God. I'm still waiting for when are you going to smite her? Oh great, smite her and do it so I can witness it. In the Old Testament it was real people, Some of you. I just messed up your whole prayer life, didn't I? In the Old Testament it was a physical enemy. In the New Testament it's a spiritual enemy Demons, devils, that you have the victory over. They had a physical Sabbath day. We have a spiritual Sabbath day. See, they had the promise. We have the fulfillment. They had the shadow and the form. We have the substance.

13:04
So this whole thing about rest, it's a big theme in the Bible the Sabbath, the Sabbath day, remembering the Sabbath, to keep it holy. And even in this example, where the writer of Hebrews is referring to Canaan land being the place of rest, it's all pointing to another day, another place, this day and this place. Under the new covenant, the Sabbath is now for us. What day of the week? Every day, said everyone who was in the first service very confidently. It's every day. People will obsess over what day is the Sabbath, what day is a day where you can have peace and rest and abstain from working to try to impress God. Every day Monday, sabbath day, tuesday, sabbath day, wednesday, sabbath day the place of rest is the place where you know that you are forgiven by God. So now the striving is gone and he says look, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. That means that even as a believer he's writing to believers, by the way even as a believer, you can believe in Jesus and be saved, but not live in God's rest.

14:17
And I venture to say that the majority of Christians, they're saved, they're heaven bound. The majority of Christians, they're saved, they're heaven bound, but they're just miserable on earth Because they never entered into God's rest. They're walking civil wars, full of anxiety, always kind of afraid of God in all the wrong ways. They're still under guilt, they're still under shame. They're still under shame, they're under condemnation. They're wondering what they need to do so God would smile upon them. Instead, a Christian who's living in the rest of God knows there is nothing more that they can do. It's already done, done, done. They can't do anything that will cause God to love them more. They can't do some act of. I'm going to go feed the homeless, I'm going to go pray, I'm going to serve people those are all great things, but they're not going to contribute to you being made righteous. That's already for free. That's already been done. A great rest comes from that.

15:16
By the way, notice he's not telling this. He spends the next 10 verses talking to them about this rest. That's not by accident that, to a group of people who are under such heavy persecution, they were being tempted to quit their Christianity. It's not by accident that one of the solutions he presents to them is hey, you need to get into the rest of God, because find me a Christian who wants to leave the Lord backslide, leave the church, I'll show you somebody who's not living in the rest of God. It's connected. Let's just read those things, I had to make slides of what the rest of God is.

15:55
Rest means peace with God. Rest means freedom from a servile, bondage-like spirit in the worship and service of God. Rest means deliverance from the burden of mosaic observance, mosaic, the law of Moses. Did you ever wonder why it doesn't matter whether we meet on Sunday? I mean Sunday, we do it because it's tradition. God didn't say meet on Sunday. And how come we get to eat bacon now? And how come, you know I mean little things like we get to wear outfits? Where there could be cotton, there could be polyester. You know they had strict laws on fabrics and what they can wear. That was such bondage. And what they can wear, that was such bondage. When the neighborhood we live in in Long Island it's very, very Jewish. One of the first things the realtors showed us with our kitchen setup was there was a crisper in there that you just can keep on warm so that Friday night, before the sun goes down, emily can make the final meal for the weekend and leave it in the crisper and we'll have warm food. Like God doesn't know. Like, oh, you got me, you legalist, you out-legaled me, because that's done.

17:18
Jesus said to those who are under the bondage of trying to religiously. Do you know any people like this? Some of them are in the church. They can only pray with confidence if they feel according to their mental list. They themselves have studied enough, gone to church enough, given enough, evangelized enough. They're like a gerbil on a wheel. Those people will backslide. That's why I'm always preaching grace, that's why I'm always preaching the blood. That's why I'm always showing the finished work of the cross, because there is so long you can spend as a hamster on a wheel. Eventually you get tired of it and then you quit. You collapse. That's what religious legalism does. It causes you to collapse, dead, tired, trying to please a God who, according to your doctrine, can never be pleased. Well, I got good news. He is well pleased with you if you've received his son. He's well pleased. Can't get any more pleased if the blood of Jesus has been applied to your life by you saying yes to the Lord and giving your life to him, hallelujah.

18:23
Sometimes, when I got to gotta pray, just like you, I have moods, I have emotions. Right, you get to call me up. I gotta be right on and pray with you, but you don't know what I could be coming out of. I don't know. I could have just gone out of like reprimanding my kids, and now I'm like, oh, was I too rough, was I too tough? And I'm feeling feelings. But the moment it's time to pray and I say, father, in the name of Jesus, everything changes. It doesn't matter what's been going on in my head, in my emotion, it doesn't matter what I did. All that can wait. I'm coming to the Father in the name of Jesus. That means I am coming to him as his own son.

19:07
I am completely righteous. I deserve great things from the Lord, not based on what I've done or who I am, but based on what Jesus has done and who he is. So now I have confidence, hallelujah. Now I won't want to quit, like these new covenant Hebrews, because I'm in the rest of God, hallelujah. So let's just go back to that first verse and this is why I'm always in some way trying to get this to you, family. I want you to have this because he says let us fear, lest any of you seem to have come short of it. Be concerned, in other words, if you're not living in the rest of God. Christianity is a struggle without the rest of God, some of you, you're just too alive. You need to die to yourselves, really, give your life to the Lord. Die already, just submit and yield and realize that you have been crucified with Christ and let the power of God come through you and watch how he lives life as you yield to him. Hallelujah, merry Christmas. Die already. Amen. That was the word Verse two. Amen, that was the word Verse two.

20:28
For indeed, the gospel was preached to us as well as to them. Now, to us, he means to us. He's writing to the first century Hebrews. He's saying the gospel was preached to us as well as to them Hundreds of years ago, those Hebrews in the wilderness, you say how was the gospel preached to them? The gospel is on every page of the Old Covenant, it's just concealed. In the new covenant the gospel is revealed, even Moses leading two million Hebrews through the Red Sea. The new covenant explains that was a type and a picture of baptism as they went through the Red Sea. The manna from heaven was a type and a picture of the word of God, the word to eat that sustains us. But the oh. This is so this. But the word which they heard, the Hebrews in the wilderness. It didn't profit them because it wasn't being mixed with faith in those who heard it. That's so huge.

21:31
I never want to be that person. When I first got saved, my attitude was I'm either going to be a person. When I first got saved, my attitude was I'm either going to be a Christian, a Christian Christian, what the Bible just simply calls a Christian, a real Christian, a Christian that gets prayers answered, a Christian that has the power of God in their lives, or I'm not playing games. You were the same way, because we both came out of the world, we were both plucked out of the world and we we both knew, hey if this world. We were both plucked out of the world and we both knew, hey, if this isn't real, I don't want it. I want to do it real, and so we have to mix faith with the word, and I'm provoking right now people who don't mix faith with the word, and some people like that still come every Sunday. I don't know how I couldn't do it If I didn't see evidence of the Lord working in my life. I mean, there will be times you have to go by faith for a while, but eventually the breakthrough comes.

22:28
I don't want to be the person who just gets wet. I want to be the person who gets baptized. What's the difference? Some people get baptized and encounter the Holy Spirit. Their life is changed after baptism. Other people they just had a baptism and they got wet. What's the difference? One mixed faith and they had an expectancy. The other one just went oh yeah, okay, I'll do it like the rest. What Don't be that person? I don't want to be a bucket plunker who just gives here and there and then expects for nothing. I'll run out of money that way. I have to mix faith with my giving. Every time we give, we don't do it haphazardly, we do it by faith. We say Lord, we're giving you the tithe and an offering on top and we're trusting for more to come back, because the word says you take pleasure in the prosperity of your servants. Now I'm releasing faith. Amen.

23:22
Whatever you hear preached, if it's in the word, you got to grasp it with your spirit and say that's for me, that's for me, it will be fulfilled in my life. I'm like a, like a Rottweiler. For me, it will be fulfilled in my life. I'm like a Rottweiler. I've grabbed a hold of that word and I'm not letting go until I see it bring fruit in my life, hallelujah. And I believe, look, I believe we're going to see people like that. Look, in every church you're going to have people who are just hearers and not doers. I just want to see that the stats go up properly in the right direction. Like 95% of you mix faith with what you hear and the other 5% you're new, you'll come around. Those are good stats.

24:06
Verse three hallelujah, hallelujah, I love you, church. You know if I just kind of it seems like I'm shaking you a little bit, it's out of love, I promise you. I just want you to be able to receive all that's already been paid for in full. It requires faith For we who believed do enter that rest, as he has said. So I swore in my wrath. They shall not enter my rest, although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. So, with the children of Israel in the wilderness, he swore in his wrath, they're not going to enter my rest.

24:54
Let's keep reading to verse four, for he has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day. You know when it says in a certain place like that, you know what that really? Theologians will all say this. He's talking about a certain place in the bible, but whatever book it was, they hadn't figured out chapter and verses like we have today, so it's just in a certain place. Anyway, that doesn't interest you, but it was funny to me On the seventh day in this way, and God rested on the seventh day from all his works, and again in this place they shall not enter my rest Since, therefore, it remains that some must enter it, this wonderful place called the rest of God, and those to whom it was first preached, the Hebrews in the wilderness did not enter because of disobedience.

25:45
What disobedience? Unbelief, doubting, a bad attitude, getting bitter, having unbelief towards God, that's what's considered disobedience and evil. All other disobedience and evil actually comes from the root, which is unbelief. Again, he designates a certain day, saying in David today, after such a long time, as it has been said today, if you will hear his, his voice, do not harden your hearts, for if Joshua had given them rest then he would not afterward have spoken of another day. Now, just keep that up there. Joshua was supposed to bring them to this place of rest, a physical place, a land of Canaan, but they couldn't enter in because of disobedience, which was their unbelief. What the first Joshua failed, the next Joshua succeeded Because Jesus' name some would say Yeshua or Yeshua most commonly today would be Joshua. So where the first Joshua failed, the second Joshua succeeded, just like where the first Adam failed, the second Adam succeeded Jesus. For if Joshua had given them rest then he would not afterward have spoken of another day.

27:11
Even in the Old Testament, this New Testament, rest that we are invited to partake of was prophesied. It was never supposed to be a physical location and it wasn't supposed to be a day. The Sabbath is a place in Christ that you live in all the time. It's a place where you ceased from your labors, as God did from his. God didn't stop working because he got tired. It was just time to rest Jesus. Right now, the Bible says he sat down. That's a position of rest.

27:45
So many Christians. They feel like from God, everything is a to-do list and life is hard enough and stressful enough. And also then preachers burn them out because every time they come to church, the preacher gives them a to-do list. Thank you for coming everybody this Sunday. Merry Christmas. Today I got for you seven steps you need to take in order to be closer to God, and then next week I'm going to present to you 10 keys that you need to adopt and really, really appropriate and work through your life, and after that we're going to have the 26 highways that are going to take you to. And you're busy taking notes. Okay, I knew I missed one. I got to do something else. There's something that's just not clicking. That's why you have Christians who are full of anxiety, don't feel close to God and always wondering do I deserve even what I'm praying for?

28:35
No, there is a rest In the rest. You realize he is daddy God, he loves you. It pushes his buttons to give you good gifts. How can you say that? I'm just paraphrasing what Jesus said. Jesus said it's your father's good pleasure To give good gifts to his children, hallelujah. And then Satan says why do you deserve them? Oh, I don't. I'm glad you brought that up, devil. You know. The Bible says agree. Jesus says agree with your adversary quickly. So Satan says you don't deserve that. Oh yeah, I know, don't try. I know. But the try, I know. But the whole gospel is set up where I receive not what I deserve, but what Jesus deserves. Get that mindset that terrifies the enemy. Hallelujah, verse nine there remains, therefore, a rest. He's inviting them to this place.

29:33
I pray that everyone who calls City Light their home has come or is quickly coming and on their way into the rest of God, the rest of God. You've quit from striving. If you're under guilt, constant condemnation, you're not in the rest of God. Look upon Jesus, look upon what he did for you on the cross. It'll fill your soul with rest Verse 10,. For he who has entered his rest, god's rest, has himself also ceased from his works, as God did from his.

30:12
So now there is nothing I can do to impress God. I can leave right now. I can say guys, it's been a nice 24-year run, but I'm out of here because it's just gotten too easy and we're too blessed. So we're going to Calcutta, where Mother Teresa used to hang Victor. We're going to Calcutta, we're going to live in the streets, we're going to minister to the poor and I really believe if we do that, god's just going to love us a little bit more. Thank you.

30:46
Landmines set up to distract me in the shape of my wife's coffee mug. If God didn't tell me to go to Calcutta, I'm going to die in Calcutta. I'm going to have a miserable time. What is the rest of God, the rest of God, is you doing only what the Lord tells you to do. Nothing less, nothing more. That's it. That's your only responsibility, hallelujah.

31:22
When I first started pastoring I thought the whole world was my responsibility. Right Go ye into all the world. Jesus said the world. I was in agony. You didn't want to know me. The first five years I was a terror. I'd say all the right things from the pulpit, but in my private life, oh God, I'm not measuring up. Oh God, they're all dying and going to hell. I got to rescue them. I know my assignment. I have peace and rest with my assignment here in New York City.

31:53
And you know, when you're not operating in the rest of God, you're always in a state of anxiety because you have to maintain that thing. When you're in the rest of God, god builds it and he maintains it. When you're not in his rest, you got to concoct it, you got to build it and then you got to maintain it. Do you notice that at City Light we're flourishing, but as a church we're really very simple. We don't have a lot of bells and whistles. Notice, no fog machines. Notice no lasers. Notice, we didn't have the Rockettes. Do the can-can, while Santa appeared on a giant LED screen behind them. And next week, if you come, we're going to have so-and-so, who you never heard of, who was a famous football player who just recently received jesus.

32:37
He's doing the sermon because whatever you get people with, you have to keep up the charade to keep them in there. So, when it comes to a bible-based, biblical church, what are the important elements? I know uncompromised preaching of the word Amen, powerful praise and worship where you can enter in. And three the Holy Spirit can do whatever he wants to do. Everything else is fluff. Hallelujah, praise God. And the same goes for your life.

33:13
Some of I dare say this, I say it with love some of the desires you have, you may be even praying, but you have to come before the Lord with this. Some of the desires you have, they're not of God. The desire is like for whatever success you want. They may not be from God. They may be, but they may not be. They may be coming out of a place where you're hurt and you're wounded in your heart and you want to become somebody so other people will respect you and think well of you, and that'll end up like sand in your mouth In ministry land you can do all of the right things for all of the wrong reasons. It looks nice and looks right on the outside, but only the Lord knows the motives of the heart.

33:57
Some of the most productive, fruitful preachers I know. When you actually peek under the hood and have a conversation, you realize they're some of the most insecure people on planet Earth. The dad didn't hug them enough. They don't know the father's love. So they're working. And you just go, wow, that's so impressive love. So they're working and we're. And you just go, wow, that's so impressive. No, they're absolutely miserable. They're just trying to get god's approval and everybody else's. Be free of that. You're already approved by god. And what other people think it doesn't? If you only knew how much it doesn't matter.

34:29
Hallelujah, verse 11. Let us therefore be diligent. Hallelujah, hallelujah, verse 11. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest. In the old King James it says let us labor to enter into the rest. Sounds like an oxymoron. Work real hard to stop working. Labor to enter into that rest.

34:52
Oh and by the way, sweetie, your coffee cup exploded while I was preaching. I'm sorry. Yes, it just happened. I have no idea how. Getting way too comfortable in that second row. She gets a man and now she's mouthing off from the second row Unbelievable. She gets a man and now she's mouthing off from the second row unbelievable. This is the part where you squeeze her hand and go not now, dear god, bless you guys. I love what you've done with his facial hair. Keep up the good work, thank you. It's a real step up. Stay close to her. She's got your best interests at heart. Step up, stay close to her. She's got your best interests at heart. What was I talking about? That was oh, thank you.

35:49
When I look at when we need something done in the church, the ones who rally the first to serve to help when we have a giving church, the ones who rally the first to serve to help when we have a giving campaign, the ones who give first, it's actually the ones who completely understand that they don't have to do any of that Like will God love you anymore if you serve? No, he just loves you, but then, out of that, you're filled with the Holy Spirit. You do it anyway. So now, knowing that I don't have to do anything is actually fuel and empowerment to do the important things. Hallelujah, in other words, you don't take this message of rest and then just become a bum and just go. Well, he did it all. I'm going to lay in a hammock, no. But you also don't want to be the person who's working for the Lord, but secretly you're working for him, hoping that it's going to help you in being justified before him. Is this making sense? Okay, verse 12.

36:50
Oh, one of the most famous scriptures in the New Testament, for the word of God, shout, this is living. See, the word of God is alive. It actually is alive. A beautiful poem an author wrote 100 years ago, pretty words, but it's not God-breathed, it's not inspired. The word of God is alive. Paul said it actually worketh in us, and that Greek word for worketh is energio. It energizes, it produces Innate, innate Within, comes together With the word of God. It's power to fulfill that word. The word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

37:44
I want to read this to you. I found out in the first service I won't be able to get through it all, so I'm going to read a few, but it's something I wrote yesterday from different verses on the power of the Word of God. I want to show you what the Bible says about the Bible and I won't be able to get through this whole thing. But if you want this entire list which, when I'm done with this, I'm going to put this right up above my desk in my office because I want to memorize all these scriptures you can email info at citylightnyccom and just say hey, can you give me the thing? They'll know what you're talking about. Send me the thing the pastor spoke about. Send me the thing and we'll send it to you and you can print it out and get familiar with this.

38:25
But since we're Bible-believing Christians, it's important to know what actually is the quality, what are the qualities of the Word of God? What does it do? God's Word, put that slide up. God's Word brings true health, fruitfulness, prosperity and success to what we do. Psalms 1, verses 2 through 3 show that. But his delight is in the law, the word of the Lord.

38:56
By the way, there's different names for the word of God. Not every time is it just called the word. Testimonies, it means the word of God. Statutes means the word of God. Precepts means the word of God and the law, sometimes it means the Ten Commandments, sometimes it means just the Mosaic Law, but oftentimes it just means it's a synonym for the word of God. So when your delight is in the word of the Lord and in the word you meditate day and night, here's the promise he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither and whatever he does shall prosper. Why? Because he's merging with the word of God. He's meditating on it day and night. Now, the word, which is alive and will energio you, is going inside of you. The more word you have inside of you, the more successful the outcome will be.

39:55
Do you believe that church Hallelujah, the word works, the word gets the job done. This is why Satan is trying to keep you away from the word Hallelujah. And I'm not just talking about your everyday reading. When you need the word, when you have a task, a hurdle I don't mean just you know do your 10 minutes, light a candle, open up the devotional and read a little bit of deuteronomy. Ah, that's all nice, I have that too.

40:26
But when I have a task at hand, I want specific, specific word, not just any word. I mean, if I'm facing a certain problem, I don't want to read about King Huzamahiah. That's, I'm sure, a wonderful story and the Lord has used it and will use it to bless my life. But now I need specific verses that bring life to me, that promise me victory, something that you know. Your spirit leaps when you read a certain scripture. That's a scripture you want to memorize, get in your belly and allow the word to work. The word of God has healing power and the power to deliver from oppression. Psalms 107, 20. Speaking of the Lord, he sent his word and healed them and delivered them from their destructions.

41:10
You know that church that we meet in, the other one that we have five minutes from here, you notice how the pulpit is off to the side. Have you ever noticed that there's a lot of these what are they called? Mainline high churches where the pulpit is off to the side? Do you know? That marks exactly when all those denominations started to go downhill, and now they have rainbow flags and all that nonsense outside. Do you know why? Because this pulpit used to be where it ought to be, front and center, and the choir was off to the side until things got a little too lukewarm-y and they said you know what, put the choir and the orchestra and the instruments, put that in the center and put the pulpit off to the side, and that's when you can see, right, then the stock plummeted. Is what I'm saying.

41:59
The word of God is to be first place in the church and in our lives. He sent his word and healed them. Some people get healed just by reading about it. My mother, when I was 16, experienced a tremendous healing. She was diagnosed with tumors in her breast, lumps in her breast, and 16-year-old me just paraphrased Isaiah 53 to her and tears started running down her cheeks and she went. I believe it, and I said a 16-year-old 20-second prayer. The next day she went and she had to take multiple mammograms because they couldn't find where the lumps were. The word healed her.

42:33
Yeah, matthew 8, 8,. The centurion answered and said Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof, but only speak a word. Your word, the word of God and my servant will be healed. Matthew 8, 16,. When evening had come, they brought to him many who were demon possessed, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed. All who were sick Say this the word of God is alive. Oh my gosh, you sound like my pulpit is off to the side. Come on, the word of God is alive, it's powerful, it's at work in me. Hallelujah, god's word cleans us. It cleanses us. If we take heed according to God's word, our way will be cleansed. Have you ever just read the Bible and instantly felt better? Instantly felt cleaner, victor. When we read the Bible. Instantly felt better. Instantly felt cleaner, victor. When we read the Bible afterwards, we're done. I say how do you feel? I feel amazing.

43:36 - Speaker 2
I always feel amazing.

43:38 - Speaker 1
Yeah, and a couple of times. Specifically, you said I feel holy. Right, I feel holy. What he's trying to say is I feel clean, I feel holy, the word of God. Have you ever seen a launderer's soap? It's not a regular size bar soap and I don't really see them in Yugoslavia here because we have little tie packets and whatnot. But back in the motherland, in Yugoslavia, you get a launderer's soap. The thing is huge, it's just a giant, and the Bible says that the Lord is like a fuller's soap, a launderer soap. You read a little word and all of a sudden you're like oh, I just feel clean.

44:15
John 15, three. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you Ephesians 5, 26, that he might sanctify and cleanse her, the church, with the washing of water by the word Hallelujah. I'm just giving you examples in different areas the word of God operates in. Is this all right? The word of God hidden in our hearts keeps us from sin. If there's sin struggles in your life. I can also almost guarantee you that there's a word dearth in your life Doesn't mean you'll be perfect in every area, but when you have enough word in you, there's just some things that you don't even want it, you're not even tempted to do, because the word of God is holding you in check. You don't even have an appetite, you don't even have a desire for those base things, because the word of God that's cleansing you is keeping you. Also, the word of God. Did you read that verse? That I did you put that up? I want them to see. They don't think I'm just making it up.

45:29
Psalm 119,. There it is. Your word. Have I hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you? God's word is a counselor. When we delight in God's word, it becomes a rich source of counsel and guidance. Psalms 119, 24,. Your testimonies also are my delight and my counselors. So when you need to know what to do, you need to know what to do. The word of God, if there's been enough of a deposit in you, will cause guidance to come up, his guidance to come up from within you.

46:12
When I read the scriptures five years ago, I never found the scripture that said thou, oh man of God, when thou seest thy store of value being deflated and when thou seest thy US dollar going into the toilet, surely, son of man, thou shalt buy Bitcoin? I never found that in the scriptures. But I found scriptures where he promised to lead me, to guide me, to bless me, to bring me abundance. That was in my spirit and then, five years ago, I have no doubt that that's what caused that to come up out of me, because I felt the hand of God on me. I felt him directing me.

46:53
What I'm trying to say is, when you search the scriptures, it's not going to tell you, go and change your job and go get that. Oh no, you need to switch cities. It's not going to say that. But when you're full of the word, the word will actually act like your counselor.

47:11
So many people who say I don't know what to do. They have a word dearth. The Bible says this counsel in the heart of man is like deep water and a man of understanding will draw it out. If your well has no word in it, the Lord can't draw anything out to lead you and guide you. But if you have word in your well, then he will speak to you through his word. Draw it out of your own well and you'll just. You'll know what you need to do, what next step you need to take, how you need to turn things around or whether you should just stay still. That's nine out of ten times. That's the word for me.

47:42
All right, lord, what do I do now? Nothing, stay still. Sometimes, the hardest thing to do is to sit on your hands. This is just how it is right now. I'm working behind the scenes. You got to trust now and not do anything. Can I help you out a little bit? But when he says move, then you better move. Hallelujah, you know what? Let's go back to Hebrews. I only got into like a fifth of what I had, but email for the thing.

48:15
Let's go back to Hebrews, verse 13. Oh no, go back to verse 12. I'm sorry, I wanted you to see something else too. The word of God is alive. It has an innate power. It's sharper than any two-edged sword. Then, what in the world? Have you ever wondered what that second part has to do with the price of eggs? I mean, I'm glad the Word of God is sharp, but what does it have to do? I mean, for years I was like what I'm piercing soul and spirit and joints. What are we in a butcher shop now? What are we talking about here? What is this talking about?

48:56
You are a tripartite being. You actually are a spirit. You have a soul. The Greek psuche means your mind, your will and your emotions. Where we get psychic from? Psuche soul, it's your mind and you live in a body.

49:12
And one of the most common questions I get is how do I know, pastor, whether it's just me or if it's really the Lord, right? Well, when it's the Lord, it's in your spirit. When it's quote unquote just you, it's in your soul. And sometimes people have a hard time distinguishing between the two, like they just stopped finishing scrolling their phone and they're like you know what I really I feel like I need to go to Cancun. I want to know. In fact, I think the Lord wants me to go to Cancun. In fact, I'm going to be bold. I feel like the Lord spoke to me to go to Cancun and then, like, five minutes later, you're like but I don't know if it's the Lord or just me. But what you forgot was, as you were scrolling, you saw 17 hidden advertisements for Cancun. And now, all of a sudden, you want to go to Cancun and you're wondering if it's the Lord or you. It's just you? All right, the Lord will speak to your spirit. Our soul is full of. Our soul is just like a giant sponge picking up all the information of the world. That's why the Bible says to receive with meekness the word of God, because it'll actually save our souls. So our souls will line up with our spirit.

50:23
So what's the solution? The Bible says when you have the word of God, it'll separate fact from fiction, fantasy from reality, and spirit, soul and body. That's the joints and marrow part. So if you want to be less confused, get more word in you. If you want to hear clearer from heaven, get more word in you. Hallelujah, there's not a lot of rules to this. Get the word in you however you like. Stand on your head, clap your feet in your corner and say the word out loud. Go for a walk and just think about the word.

50:58
Be on the subway and choose a verse you're going to memorize before you hit your stop. Sing it, say it out loud, write it out over and over again, but get the word in you. Hallelujah, verse 13. Worship team, you can come up and there is no creature hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of whom and to the eyes of him, to whom we must give account. Verse 14,.

51:27
Seeing, then, that we have a great high priest and that's what Jesus is doing in heaven. We have a great high priest and that's what Jesus is doing in heaven. He is our high priest, our mediator. That's why we can run to the Father whenever, because he's our mediator who has passed through the heavens Jesus, the Son of God. Let us hold fast our confession, for we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses but was in all points. Say all points. That makes some people blush. I thought Jesus was only tempted three times by Satan in the wilderness. That's true. There were three temptations, as the devil departed from him for a season, but throughout his life he was tempted in all points. You go not those points, yes, those points, especially those points. Props to the people who can chuckle, who are secure enough in the Lord to chuckle out loud, but was in all points tempted, as we are yet without sin, all right. So because we have this rest in the Lord Jesus, because our own striving and our own effort it doesn't matter when it comes to our justification before the Lord he already did all the work for you. What a rest. That is Because the word of God is so powerful, because you now have a high priest who's actually still fully man and fully God in heaven, who knows, he knows how you feel, he knows what you're going through. Because of all that, now we finally come up to this point, we can come boldly verse 16. Because of all this, we can come boldly to the throne of grace, and that's one of my hearts for City Light Church, that you're bold Christians.

53:26
I used to be Greek Orthodox. When they were ministering to me, that was the first time I heard people pray together and I was freaked out. I was freaked out because they were so bold. It was a bunch of teenagers, but I thought this first of all. I thought they were being so irreverent. They're talking loud to God. They're talking to him like he's a friend Greek Orthodox. I've never heard a Greek Orthodox pray ever in my life, god. They're talking to him like he's a friend Greek Orthodox. I've never heard a Greek Orthodox pray ever in my life, Ever have you? The priest will pray, but they'll never pray. You're afraid to talk to him. That's why you go through some saint or someone else. Talk to God directly. Ooh, and I hear I get saved. And all these people are talking to God and they're bold about it Freaked me out. That's the Bible way.

54:20
May we have no mamby-pamby Christians. May we have no Christians that pray from their throat. Oh Lord, I know you're tired of hearing from me and I'm just an old worm coming up to your throne Boldly. Why? Because your life is hid with God in Christ. Do you think Jesus is before the father in terror? No, he knows his rightful place as a son. That is your place. He made it so. He paid for you to have that place with his own precious blood. Hallelujah. And if you've named the name of Jesus and surrendered your life to him. That is your portion, that is your inheritance, that's your prize, that's the pearl of great price. So you can come boldly. Never don't come boldly, never come with your head down, never don't come boldly, never come with your head down. Come boldly to the throne of God, also known as the throne of grace, that we may get something.

55:17
Two things actually, two things that we really really need Mercy and grace. Too many folks use the terms interchangeably, but they actually mean two very different things. Grace is God giving you what you don't deserve right, salvation, forgiveness of sins, abundance, healing. Grace is God giving you and me what we don't deserve. You know what mercy is him not giving us what we do deserve? Yeah, grace is for today and tomorrow. Mercy is for today and tomorrow. Mercy is for that thing yesterday that you did that you don't want anybody to know about Honest people chuckling again.

55:58
God bless you. May the Lord multiply you and bring more here, just like you. Yeah, I shouldn't be here. I shouldn't have a beautiful wife and children that I look at and a blessed church and dear friends. I shouldn't be here. I shouldn't have a beautiful wife and children that I look at and a blessed church, and, dear friends, I should be living under a bridge eating stale crackers and cheese right now. Really, that's where I should be. No, I'm not talking in some exaggeration. No, I've made mistakes where I should have been, where God himself should have been. You know what I'm through with you. I knew you were dumb when I called you, but now you've outdone yourself. That's what I did. But what happened? His mercy, his mercy.

56:37
Some people have great faith for punishment and divine retribution. Oh, I'm going to get it now. Yeah, you will, according to your faith being unto you. My faith is for mercy, amen. And I'll come and get it boldly, knowing that I don't deserve it. But he doesn't give me what I deserve. Man, I'm hitting this over and over again. He gives me what Jesus deserves. So we're going to come boldly and get mercy for yesterday's failures and grace and empowerment from heaven for today and tomorrow.

57:05
Hallelujah, let's finish up. Just a couple of more verses. No, that's it right, I'm the. I'm the guy teaching you Hebrews. We're finished.

57:19
Good, hallelujah, heavenly Father, we thank you, thank you for Jesus, thank you, thank you for Jesus. Thank you that, because of Jesus, we know we can come right to you and you will in no wise cast us out. You will never reject us, you will never push us away. Father, I'm asking you specifically that you would get our church ready for what's to come. Lord, we need your help. Infuse us with strength, with the power of the Holy Spirit. Cause relationships.

57:59
Some of you, you have ministries you're carrying around. You don't even know it, yet God's going to cause that to flourish. Whatever you want, lord, do it in us In Jesus' name. Amen. Hallelujah, ministry team, won't you go to that well-lit area to my left, your right, and if you want prayer for anything, anything at all, you want our ministry team to lay hands on you, pray with you, for you. You want the Lord to touch you? Go right over there and they'll pray with you and for you. Everyone else, let's stand Hallelujah and let's sing this song with our whole hearts to the Lord. Say this before we do I'm forgiven, I'm righteous, the Lord is on my side, he's working in the invisible realm and I'm on the rest of God. Amen.

58:57 - Speaker 2
This is the City Light Church podcast. If you've missed any part of today's message or if you would like to find out more about Pastor Boyan Jancic and City Light Church, visit us at citylightnyc.com That's citylightnyccom. That's citylightnyccom. Feel free to visit us online or in person anytime. We would love to connect with you. We pray that you have been encouraged today, that you have been reminded how much God loves you and that you are surrounded by grace. Thank you for listening. Make sure that you subscribe to City Light Church Podcast wherever you find your favorite podcasts worldwide.